#UrbanLegends: 10 Myths about Sex You Should Never, Ever Believe!

One more year has come to an end, and another one is just about to begin. And of the many things we wish you, one certainly is a happy and fruitful sex life! So whether you’re already enjoying the pleasures of some fabulous action, or are resolving to up your game to get yourself some, we give you a bunch of myths about sex you should never, ever place your faith in. Not everything you hear people tell is true, you know!

1. It’s not good if it’s not loud

Some people moan a lot during foreplay; some people don’t. Some people scream while they climax; some simply sigh. It’s true that “loud sex” can add to the overall experience since hearing your partner vocalize their pleasure feels really good, but it’s absolutely not true that they’re not enjoying it if they aren’t yelling their way through the process! It’s about them feeling pleasure, not about how they express it.

2. Oral sex isn’t “real” sex

Oral sex involves the giving and receiving of pleasure, and exchange of bodily fluids. And it’s about as intimate as you can get with another person’s body. So that one simply isn’t true. (Unless you’re Bill Clinton. In which case you get a Presidential Pass.)

3. You can’t get pregnant if you have sex during your period

Ladies, once sperm has entered your Fallopian tubes, it can survive up to three days. So if you’re having unprotected sex towards the end of your period, the sperm might actually still be viable by the time you start ovulating, and so pregnancy is definitely possible. (It’s not common, true, but it has been known to happen - and wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry?)

4. Fantasies are for pervs only

It’s fun to play out scenarios in your head that involve you and your partner. And it’s even fun to try out some role-playing stuff. So fantasies, as long as you both relate to them, can totally add an edge to your activities in the bedroom. Unless you’re going into very weird/ disturbing territory involving violence and abusive stuff, you’re fine.

5. Women don’t like it as much as men

To all the people who really believe this: Hahahahaha! Women like sex. They think about sex too. And this happens very, very frequently. They just don’t necessarily talk about it as openly as men do - mostly because the society we live in is still rather regressive about female sexuality, and far too often people tend to get very judgemental towards women who are vocal about their sex lives.

6. Withdrawal is an effective method of contraception

Myth, myth, myth! Ladies, he may be able to withdraw in time to not climax inside you, but please remember that precum can contain small quantities of sperm too, and there’s no avoiding that if you’re not using a condom. Besides, withdrawal does not guarantee protection against STDS!

7. You don’t need to test for STDs if there are no symptoms

Absolutely not true. Plenty of STDs/STIs such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes and even HIV can be asymptomatic and exist in your system for months (sometimes, years) before they cause visible symptoms such as sores and discharge. Know your STDs, and get tested every time you have a new partner.

8. Bigger is always better

Again, not true. Since it’s only the first few centimetres of the vaginal canal that have a concentration of nerves that respond to sexual stimuli, being excessively well-endowed is simply not a requirement for sexual pleasure. It really is about not what you have but how you use it!

9. Using two condoms gives you double the protection

Since we all discovered thanks to F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and Joey that condoms are effective against pregnancy only 97% of the time, a lot of people also think that using two condoms might protect you against that 3% risk. But, folks, that’s WRONG. In fact, using two condoms (a.k.a. double-bagging) actually increases the risk factor significantly because the condoms rub against each other, giving rise to friction and greater scope for breakage and tearing. If using condoms alone does not give you total peace of mind, then your best bet is a combination of a condom (one!) and oral contraceptive prescribed by a gynaecologist.

10. Sex makes you fat

This one pops up most often in the form of newlywed women being told: “You’re putting on weight - must be getting a lot of action, huh?” It’s not the sex, folks! It’s the lifestyle change: the copious quantities of food consumed thanks to all the festivities and family get-togethers, the absence of time to keep up with your regular fitness routine, adapting to new patterns and hours of sleep, and so on. (In fact, some researchers believe that sex is actually great exercise!)